


Have I The Right?

by Mystic_Harley



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-18 16:35:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21930451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Harley/pseuds/Mystic_Harley
Summary: Instead of Bad Wolf, the Moment chose a man from the old man's past that was in a situation very similar to his own, so long ago...
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Have I The Right?

The old warrior stands before the greatest weapon in the entire universe, looking it over for how to activate it. “Why do they never come with such a big red button?” He mumbled to himself, running his old weathered hand over box before it suddenly heated up and he retracted his hand back with a loud hiss.    
  
“Do I have the right?”    
  
The old warrior’s blood was chilled as he heard that question. That  _ voice. _ He stood up, gaping at the bohemian outfit, the long scarf, the floppy hat and curly brown hair. The sharp blue eyes that pierced into his being, into his soul. “What are you doing here?” The warrior finally demanded incredulously. “How can you be here? Do you have any idea what you’re doing, coming into your own future like that? The consequences could be devastating!”   
  
He was even more shocked when his younger self strode over and sat himself down on the Moment as if it were a fancy dinner chair. “No don’t sit on that!” He exclaimed, yanking the younger man up and hustling him to the door. “It’s not a chair, it’s the most dangerous weapon of the universe! You need to get out!” He slammed the door shut and closed it, sighing out.   
  
“Why can’t it be both?”   
  
The warrior wheeled around, staring incredulously as he was  _ still sitting there _ , against all odds. The younger man grinned at him, face full of teeth as he stood up. “You parked awfully far away from her didn’t you?” He commented, shielding his eyes briefly and peering out of the barn, out towards the sand. “Didn’t want her to see what had to be done?”   
  
“Who are you talking about?” The warrior demanded, although deep down he already knew the answer. His younger self swiveled his head around, staring at him with that wide-eyed boggled expression.   
  
“Why, the TARDIS of course.” He waved his hand, as if it were obvious. He fished around in his pockets for a moment and produced a bag with a little grin. “Jelly baby?”   
  
The warrior gave his younger face an unhappy look, and he was about to open his mouth when the Moment began clicking and whirring. “Get out. It’s activating.” He demanded seriously, reaching down to touch it only to hiss when it burned him again. “The interface, it’s…  _ hot _ .” He marveled, staring at the complicated box before him.    
  
The younger man just grinned again. “Well,” He drawled. “I do my best.”   
  
The old man was still examining the box, looking it over cautiously. “There’s, a power source inside…” He trailed off as he realized what was said, and he turned around at his younger face. “You’re the interface?”   
  
“Surely you must have known The Moment had a conscious.” The interface looked bewildered for a moment, before shaking his head. “But yes, I am the interface. I hear all of you, rattling around in there you know and it’s quite distracting. I chose this face and this form from your past” He gave the old warrior a knowing stare. “And I think you know why, Doctor.”   
  
“Don’t call me Doctor.” The old man said darkly, giving the interface a cold look.    
  
“It’s the name in your head.”    
  
“It shouldn’t be. I’ve been fighting this war a long time. I’ve lost the right to be The Doctor.”   
  
The projection of his fourth face seemed to ignore him, and he approached the old warrior and stared down into his eyes, into his soul. “Do I have the right?” He intoned again. The old warrior instantly knew what he was going on about.   
  
_ Just touch these two stands together, and the Daleks are finished… Have I that right? _   
  
“That’s not fair.” The old man croaked finally, weakly. “It was different back then. A different time, a different place. Different circumstances.”   
  
“Was it really?” The interface challenged him, walking around its container and waving his hand around the barn. “Is what is raging on out there any different to what happened on Skaro, hundreds of years ago? People are still dying. You alone stand at the precipice, the ultimate decision to be made.”   
  
_ Well, the final responsibility is mine and mine alone. You see, if someone who knew the future pointed out a child to you and told you that child would grow up totally evil, to be a ruthless dictator who would destroy millions of lives… could you then kill that child? _   
  
“There was hope back then!” The warrior objected hotly, standing up. “I have no choice, don’t you understand? I’ve tried everything,  _ everything _ I could think of to end this war without resorting to this! This is the universe’s last chance!”   
  
“But if I kill,” The projection continued, unfettered and unwavering by the old man’s outburst. “Wipe out a whole intelligent life form, then I’d become like them. I’d be no better than the Daleks.” He leveled his stare at the old, broken man. “Are you prepared to make that sacrifice, Doctor?”   
  
The old man paused, his hands trembling. He stood there for a moment, before nodding weakly. “I’ve accepted that I shan’t survive this.”   
  
His fourth self grinned manically, shaking his head. “Oh, on the contrary, you  _ shall _ survive. That is your punishment should you go through with this. You’re going to survive, to live with the guilt and shame. You didn’t think there would be no consequences for using The Moment, didn’t you?” The old man sagged in defeat, and his fourth self tapped his nose a little. “There is a small hope though.”   
  
His eyes glowed, and a great rush of air burst through the old barn as a wormhole opened up. No, not a wormhole. A great vortex, a vast array of beautiful and horrifying colors. “What are you-” He began, but his fourth self boomed out loudly over the noise.   
  
“Opening a window, Doctor, into your future!” He grinned even wider, if that were somehow possible. “To meet the man you’ll become if you make your final choice!”    
  
They both stared as a fez flopped down in front of them. They shared a look, then looked back up at the portal. “Well.” His fourth face said, picking it up and examining it briefly before tossing it to the old soldier. “That wasn’t what I was expecting.”   
  
The old man stared up at the vortex, then looked at his fourth self. He could hear voices, faint voices on the other side of the portal and realized in that moment (the projection’s smile seemed to grow wider, to his irritation) that if he didn’t go now, he never would.   
  
Taking a breath, he stepped forward towards the portal and jumped.

**Author's Note:**

> I eventually plan on re-writing Day of the Doctor but with 8 having been the one to end the Time War instead of War, but I'd like to get a better grip on 8's character before I do. I hope everyone enjoys this though! I had a lot of fun writing this.


End file.
